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| Migrants Rescued From the Sea Face Uncertainty in Indonesian Camps | Migrants Rescued From the Sea Face Uncertainty in Indonesian Camps |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| BAYEUN, Indonesia — Mohammed Salim sat on a straw mat in an open-air tent, trying to avoid the stifling midday heat. | BAYEUN, Indonesia — Mohammed Salim sat on a straw mat in an open-air tent, trying to avoid the stifling midday heat. |
| The 23-year-old Rohingya from Myanmar still appeared to be recovering from dehydration and mild malnutrition. He was among the 433 migrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh who had been aboard a distressed vessel found by journalists on May 14, adrift in the Andaman Sea near Thailand and Malaysia. They had been on the boat for three months, abandoned by their captain and crew, and were desperate for food and water. | |
| Since their boat landed on the northern coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra last week, the passengers have lived here, in tents on the grounds of an abandoned paper factory that has become a government migrant camp. | Since their boat landed on the northern coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra last week, the passengers have lived here, in tents on the grounds of an abandoned paper factory that has become a government migrant camp. |
| They sleep on mats or wooden pallets on the muddy ground, a thin sarong for a blanket, and bathe by collecting buckets of water from a well. In a clinic staffed by volunteer and government doctors and nurses, the ceiling is caving in and some patients lay on the floor with IV drips in their arms. | They sleep on mats or wooden pallets on the muddy ground, a thin sarong for a blanket, and bathe by collecting buckets of water from a well. In a clinic staffed by volunteer and government doctors and nurses, the ceiling is caving in and some patients lay on the floor with IV drips in their arms. |
| Mr. Salim dreams of living in “a strong country,” he said. “America, Australia, anywhere.” | Mr. Salim dreams of living in “a strong country,” he said. “America, Australia, anywhere.” |
| For the foreseeable future, however, Mr. Salim and the more than 1,800 other migrants who arrived in Indonesia this month are not going anywhere. | For the foreseeable future, however, Mr. Salim and the more than 1,800 other migrants who arrived in Indonesia this month are not going anywhere. |
| Indonesia’s minister of social affairs, Khofifah Indar Parawansa, whose ministry oversees the camps, said the migrants would remain where they are. | Indonesia’s minister of social affairs, Khofifah Indar Parawansa, whose ministry oversees the camps, said the migrants would remain where they are. |
| “In my opinion, the existing camps now are good enough,” she said in an interview, adding that the shelters provided for Indonesians who were displaced by a volcano eruption in 2014 were similarly spartan. “Of course, this is Indonesian standard.” | “In my opinion, the existing camps now are good enough,” she said in an interview, adding that the shelters provided for Indonesians who were displaced by a volcano eruption in 2014 were similarly spartan. “Of course, this is Indonesian standard.” |
| In addition to the paper factory in the village of Bayeun, just outside the town of Langsa in Aceh Province, the migrants are living in similar conditions in three other camps in Aceh, including warehouses in a small state-owned port that is also near Langsa, and an abandoned beachfront government compound near the town of Lhoksukon, a two-hour drive to the north, where they sleep on concrete floors. | In addition to the paper factory in the village of Bayeun, just outside the town of Langsa in Aceh Province, the migrants are living in similar conditions in three other camps in Aceh, including warehouses in a small state-owned port that is also near Langsa, and an abandoned beachfront government compound near the town of Lhoksukon, a two-hour drive to the north, where they sleep on concrete floors. |
| Aid groups are concerned that the conditions are unsanitary, could potentially spread disease and were never intended for long-term habitation. | Aid groups are concerned that the conditions are unsanitary, could potentially spread disease and were never intended for long-term habitation. |
| “These are short-term camps,” said Steve Hamilton, deputy chief of mission of the International Organization for Migration in Jakarta. “None of them are really designed to be lived in. If a storm comes through — they are not designed for storms.” | “These are short-term camps,” said Steve Hamilton, deputy chief of mission of the International Organization for Migration in Jakarta. “None of them are really designed to be lived in. If a storm comes through — they are not designed for storms.” |
| While Mr. Hamilton credits the government with finding immediate shelter for the migrants, he and other aid workers said the government needs to quickly come up with a medium-term housing solution such as dormitories. | While Mr. Hamilton credits the government with finding immediate shelter for the migrants, he and other aid workers said the government needs to quickly come up with a medium-term housing solution such as dormitories. |
| “This was never intended to be a longer-term site,” said Thomas Vargas, chief representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Jakarta, the Indonesian capital. “It was an attempt by the government, and with the best of intentions, to provide for everybody when they arrived and meet urgent needs. But I think everyone understands there are some gaps to fill and things to be addressed in terms of taking care of sanitary conditions and taking care of women and children.” | “This was never intended to be a longer-term site,” said Thomas Vargas, chief representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Jakarta, the Indonesian capital. “It was an attempt by the government, and with the best of intentions, to provide for everybody when they arrived and meet urgent needs. But I think everyone understands there are some gaps to fill and things to be addressed in terms of taking care of sanitary conditions and taking care of women and children.” |
| International aid organizations say the migrants need facilities including canteens and schools for hundreds of children. | International aid organizations say the migrants need facilities including canteens and schools for hundreds of children. |
| Last week, Indonesia and Malaysia agreed to take in as many as 7,000 migrants for up to a year. The Bangladeshis, who are considered economic migrants, are likely to be repatriated, while the Rohingya, who are seeking asylum, may eventually be settled in a third country. | Last week, Indonesia and Malaysia agreed to take in as many as 7,000 migrants for up to a year. The Bangladeshis, who are considered economic migrants, are likely to be repatriated, while the Rohingya, who are seeking asylum, may eventually be settled in a third country. |
| Indonesia and Malaysia, however, did not specify how the migrants would be sheltered. | Indonesia and Malaysia, however, did not specify how the migrants would be sheltered. |
| Before this latest wave of migrants, Indonesia already had around 12,000 registered asylum seekers and official refugees, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, most of whom are from South Asia and the Middle East and were trying to resettle in Australia or a Western country. Around 4,800 of them are being held in detention centers across the country, but the rest are either living in private accommodation with financing from international aid groups, or using their own funds. | Before this latest wave of migrants, Indonesia already had around 12,000 registered asylum seekers and official refugees, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, most of whom are from South Asia and the Middle East and were trying to resettle in Australia or a Western country. Around 4,800 of them are being held in detention centers across the country, but the rest are either living in private accommodation with financing from international aid groups, or using their own funds. |
| Mr. Hamilton, of the International Organization for Migration, said the Indonesian government should absorb this most recent wave of Rohingya into its asylum-seeker population rather than leave them in makeshift camps. | Mr. Hamilton, of the International Organization for Migration, said the Indonesian government should absorb this most recent wave of Rohingya into its asylum-seeker population rather than leave them in makeshift camps. |
| He said the eventual repatriation of around 800 Bangladeshis could take several months because of the slow process of confirming their citizenship. | He said the eventual repatriation of around 800 Bangladeshis could take several months because of the slow process of confirming their citizenship. |
| In addition, he said, the process of finding a third country to accept the approximately 1,000 Rohingya could take far longer than the one-year deadline set by the Indonesian and Malaysian governments. | In addition, he said, the process of finding a third country to accept the approximately 1,000 Rohingya could take far longer than the one-year deadline set by the Indonesian and Malaysian governments. |
| “Even if the countries say they want them out in a year, it’s not necessarily a year,” he said. | “Even if the countries say they want them out in a year, it’s not necessarily a year,” he said. |
| How the migrant groups fare remains to be seen: There have been minor fights between the men from Bangladesh and Myanmar, also known as Burma, who are segregated in each camp, according to aid workers. | |
| The clinics initially treated migrants for exhaustion, dehydration and infections, though aid workers warn that disease could easily sweep through a large population living cheek by jowl in an enclosed area. | The clinics initially treated migrants for exhaustion, dehydration and infections, though aid workers warn that disease could easily sweep through a large population living cheek by jowl in an enclosed area. |
| But given that only days ago they were in danger of drowning at sea or dying of exhaustion, starvation or lack of water, there have been few complaints since the first boat drifted ashore in Aceh on May 10. | But given that only days ago they were in danger of drowning at sea or dying of exhaustion, starvation or lack of water, there have been few complaints since the first boat drifted ashore in Aceh on May 10. |
| In fact, migrants said they have been overwhelmed by the welcome they have received from the Indonesians. Local governments, nongovernmental organizations and volunteer groups in Aceh and North Sumatra Provinces mobilized to help the migrant camps, while local communities rallied to donate food, water, clothing, children’s toys and even cash. | In fact, migrants said they have been overwhelmed by the welcome they have received from the Indonesians. Local governments, nongovernmental organizations and volunteer groups in Aceh and North Sumatra Provinces mobilized to help the migrant camps, while local communities rallied to donate food, water, clothing, children’s toys and even cash. |
| Local residents have come to the camps to look around, take photos on cellphones with the Rohingya and Bangladeshi and even give them motorcycle rides around the compound, which one aid worker disapprovingly called “migrant tourism.” | Local residents have come to the camps to look around, take photos on cellphones with the Rohingya and Bangladeshi and even give them motorcycle rides around the compound, which one aid worker disapprovingly called “migrant tourism.” |
| At the Kuala Cangkoi migrant camp near Lhoksukon, the Indonesian Red Cross had to lay barbed wire around the medical clinic to keep local residents from milling about. There were also reports of Indonesians stealing donated clothes and food from the camp. | At the Kuala Cangkoi migrant camp near Lhoksukon, the Indonesian Red Cross had to lay barbed wire around the medical clinic to keep local residents from milling about. There were also reports of Indonesians stealing donated clothes and food from the camp. |
| “We’ve cut off entry to anyone but the migrants so we can work,” said Chaidir, 37, a member of the humanitarian group Palang Merah Indonesia who, like many Indonesians, goes by one name. | |
| For Mr. Salim, the conditions are not a concern, mostly because he is alive. | For Mr. Salim, the conditions are not a concern, mostly because he is alive. |
| Asked about what lies ahead, he said: “I don’t understand the word future. In the future, I wanted to learn computers, but in Burma, all I was thinking about was how long would it be before I’m dead.” | Asked about what lies ahead, he said: “I don’t understand the word future. In the future, I wanted to learn computers, but in Burma, all I was thinking about was how long would it be before I’m dead.” |